Eustat

Press release dated 16/11/2010

DOMESTIC TRADE INDEX OF THE BASQUE COUNTRY (ICI) 3rd quarter 2010

Commercial sales rose by 1.8% in the Basque Country in the third quarter of 2010

Wholesale sales were up by 4.1% while retail sales fell by 1.4%

The retail trade sector of the Basque Country registered a 1.8% rise in nominal sales in the third quarter of 2010 with regard to the same period of the previous year, according to Eustat data.

Compared to the previous quarter, the sales index fell by a nominal 2.6%, once any seasonal effects had been eliminated.

By sectors, nominal sales of the wholesale sector rose by 4.1% in the third quarter of 2010, while retail sales fell by 1.4% with respect to the same period of 2009.

Within the wholesale trade sector, the performance of the Semi-finished Products and Scrap sector was particularly noteworthy as it posted nominal growth of 14.7%. The sales of the other wholesale trade sectors fell compared to the same quarter of the previous year. Machinery and Equipment fell by 2.2%, wholesale Agricultural and Food Products saw its nominal sales drop by 2.1% and, finally, Non-food Consumer Products posted sales that were 2% down on the same quarter of 2009.

In the retail trade sector, specialised trade sales were down by 1.5%, which non-specialised retail trade sales fell by 1.7%.

By Provinces, the highest growth in commercial sector nominal sales, in the third quarter of 2010, was in Álava, with a 2.0% year-on-year increase. Bizkaia increased its nominal sales by 1.9% and Gipuzkoa by 1.6%.



In real terms, domestic trade sales fell by 1.8% in the third quarter after eliminating the price effect.

The drop in wholesale trade stood at 0.8%, which retail trade fell by 3.4%, with respect to the same quarter of 2009 and in constant prices.

The year-on-year performance was negative for all wholesale trade sectors, except for the case of sales of Semi-finished Products and Scrap, which was up by 3.6%. Sales of Machinery and Equipment fell by 5.4%, Agricultural and Food Products were down by 3.9% and the sale of Non-food Consumer Products fell by 1.6%, all in real terms.

With regard to retail trade, specialised retail sales fell by 3.3% and non-specialised retail ones by 2.7%, in constant euros.

The number of people employed in the commercial sector in the Basque Country overall in the third quarter of 2010 was down by 0.4% on the second quarter of 2010.

For further information:

Basque Statistics Office
C/ Donostia-San Sebastián, 1 01010 Vitoria-Gasteiz
Tlf:+34-945-01 75 00 Fax:+34-945-01 75 01 E-mail: eustat@eustat.es
Contact: Susana Rodríguez
Tlf:+34-945-01 75 14 Fax:+34-945-01 75 01
Further press releases on Domestic Trade Index (ICI) of the Basque Country.
Databank on Domestic Retail Index of the Basque Country